Genmab, Seattle expand ADC collaboration with HuMax-CD74
This article was originally published in Scrip
Danish antibody specialist Genmab has reaffirmed the more active partnering strategy instituted last year by new chief executive officer Dr Jan van de Winkel, expanding its research collaboration with Seattle Genetics for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) to add a new anticancer candidate to its preclinical pipeline.
The second ADC agreement with Seattle Genetics, which is attracting increasing attention with its technology for delivering anticancer agents selectively to tumour cells, mirrors the terms of the deal announced by Genmab with Seattle for the former’s HuMax-TF antibody last September.
That was one strand of Dr Winkel's strategy to turn around the once stellar Danish biotech following a series of pipeline setbacks and the rapid decline of its share price (scripintelligence.com, 15 September 2010). Last October, the company announced a further 15% cut in staffing as part of its efforts to reduce operating costs and achieve profitability (scripintelligence.com, 26 October 2010).
The new agreement is for the use of Seattle Genetics' ADC technology with HuMax-CD74, an antibody in preclinical development at Genmab to target CD74, a protein expressed in a wide range of haematological malignancies and solid tumours.
As well as making an undisclosed upfront payment to Seattle Genetics, Genmab has – as before – granted the US biotech the right to exercise a co-development and co-commercialisation option for any ensuing ADC products at the end of Phase I development.
Genmab will be responsible for research, manufacturing, pre-clinical development and Phase I clinical evaluation of ADCs under the collaboration, while Seattle Genetics will receive research support payments for any assistance provided to Genmab.
If Seattle Genetics does exercise its opt-in right at the end of Phase I, it will make an unspecified payment to Genmab and the two companies will co-develop and share equally all future costs and profits for the product concerned. If Seattle Genetics does not opt in, Genmab will pay it fees, milestones and mid-single digit royalties on worldwide net sales of the ADC product.
The terms closely follow those of the HuMax-TF antibody agreement announced last September. As Seattle Genetics pointed out, it now has co-development options for four of its partners' ADC programmes, "reflecting our ability to maximise the potential of our technology through strategic collaborations with organisations that have complementary capabilities".
The US company has entered into a string of co-ownership or straight licensing deals for its ADC technology, including a tie-up with Pfizer early this year that is potentially worth up to US$208 million to Seattle in upfront payments, progress-dependent milestones and royalties (scripintelligence.com, 07 January 2011).
Among Seattle’s other ADC partners are Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, Bayer, Abbott and Daiichi Sankyo.